SF Chronicle Reviews Calgary

[troutman]

Calgary: Prairie city more urbane than cowboy

http://www.sfchronicle.com/travel/ar...y-11256368.php

I find an increasingly sophisticated, outdoorsy, friendly and laid-back prairie metropolis. To my surprise — having visited Calgary many times — I am hopscotching from one cool restaurant to another, sampling a spectrum of creative dishes from locally sourced contemporary Canadian cuisine to killer tacos, Alberta/Asian fusion and fine vegetarian fare — major inroads into Cowtown’s trademark steak and ribs menus.


I sip microbrews in swank and funky bars, prowl museums, and bike amid fit cyclists and joggers on riverside paths as rafters float by and surfers — yes, surfers — ride a cluster of waves against a backdrop of skyscrapers. “Yup,” says my waitress plunking down a cocktail made with local Eau Claire’s Prickly Pear liquor that contains a cactus essence, “this is Calgary 355 days of the year.

“When the Stampede is not happening.”

[OutOfTheCube]

Originally Posted by troutman

I sip microbrews in swank and funky bars, prowl museums, and bike amid fit cyclists and joggers on riverside paths as rafters float by and surfers — yes, surfers — ride a cluster of waves against a backdrop of skyscrapers. “Yup,” says my waitress plunking down a cocktail made with local Eau Claire’s Prickly Pear liquor that contains a cactus essence, “this is Calgary 355 days of the year.

“When the Stampede is not happening.”

More like 55 days of the year. We have this dreaded season Californians have not heard of called "winter".

[Jordan!]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

More like 55 days of the year. We have this dreaded season Californians have not heard of called "winter".

Yup

[OMG!WTF!]

God we sound like a bunch of tools.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

More like 55 days of the year. We have this dreaded season Californians have not heard of called "winter".

That was just poor quoting in the article. She meant the bar and restaurant scene, the vibe of Calgary is more urban than cowboy, as the whole article was speaking to. The editor kind of made it sound like she was referring to the surfers as the writer tried to paint a picture for out of towners.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

God we sound like a bunch of tools.

How so? I personally think if Calgary is going to aim to be something - progressive, forward thinking people, with trendy urban culture set against a "redneck" rural province that embraces and respects farming and cowboy culture right at it's limits is a neat direction that could set us apart.

We'll never be New York, Toronto, Vancouver etc. But we actually have something brewing that isn't common in the US at all. Down there they tend to heavily separate progressive from conservative, rural from urban, and since the mid-2000's we've really started to combine the two in a fluent, neat way.

[OMG!WTF!]

I liked our decidedly not urban schtick. I'm over fancy restaurants. And urban athletes bug me. I've just been spending a lot of time in the country lately.

[SeeGeeWhy]

Keep attracting that disenfranchised silicon valley dollar, SF. Calgary is clearly to Alberta what Austin is to Texas.. . And we all know Alberta is the the Texas of the North

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

More like 55 days of the year. We have this dreaded season Californians have not heard of called "winter".

Is winter over 10 months long in Calgary or do spring and fall fit in there somewhere?

[Bunk]

We are, growing, changing, maturing and becoming more interesting.

You can still keep to yourself if you want to, but many desire this new Calgary that's emerging too.

Our international reputation will also matter more and more to attract the people and industries that will keep us economically relevant.

[Regorium]

Huh. I'm surprised the entire article wasn't talking about our decrepit hockey arena and how Calgary isn't a world class city because of it.

[Muta]

Man, some prevalent sarcasm and bitterness in this thread. For years we are vocal about wanting to shed the stereotypical country / cowboy image we seem to have in this city, the SF Chronicle writes an article explaining why this is no more the case and that we're an urban, contemporary destination to visit, and we bitch about being too urban?

Weird.

[nik-]

I don't need some ear gauged writer from the liberal media elite coming here and telling me about how good my city is to visit.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

Is winter over 10 months long in Calgary or do spring and fall fit in there somewhere?

Each are 1-2 weeks long.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by nik-

I don't need some ear gauged writer from the liberal media elite coming here and telling me about how good my city is to visit.

If you care about tourism and investment you should.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

I've just been spending a lot of time in the country lately.

Good news! They're leaving!

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Regorium

Huh. I'm surprised the entire article wasn't talking about our decrepit hockey arena and how Calgary isn't a world class city because of it.

Well seeing the words "world class" are not used anywhere in this article to describe Calgary maybe you shouldn't be surprised.

[FireGilbert]

A pretty accurate assessment. Other than Stampede and a few western bars Calgary is far more urbane than cowboy with plenty of good food and drinks in interesting neighborhoods. If the author had showed up on the middle of winter when the city frozen and quiet she would probably have a different impression however.

Nice to see Calgary getting some tourist publicity too as the economy needs all the help it can get. There are so many tourists who want to visit the Mountains so might as well try to get them to stay in Calgary for a few days as well.

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by nik-

I don't need some ear gauged writer from the liberal media elite coming here and telling me about how good my city is to visit.

I don't imagine you were the target audience.